1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating a mixed liquid containing a plurality of liquids having different components from each other into liquids having different component contents from each other, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present inventor has developed an apparatus for separating a mixed liquid in which a plurality of liquids having different components are mixed into liquids having different component contents from each other (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2001-314724).
In the separating apparatus, an atomizing chamber having a closed structure is filled with an alcohol solution, the alcohol solution in the atomizing chamber is ultrasonically vibrated by an ultrasonic vibrator and is thus atomized into a mist, the mist thus atomized is coagulated and collected to separate the alcohol solution having a high concentration, and air separated from the alcohol solution is circulated in the atomizing chamber. The separating apparatus can separate the alcohol having a high concentration by the following operation.
Alcohol having such physical properties as to give a surface excess by a quick migration to the surface has a high surface concentration. When the ultrasonic vibration is carried out in this condition, the solution on the surface is changed into a mist in the air by the energy of the ultrasonic vibration and the mist is discharged as fine particles. The mist discharged into the air has a high alcohol concentration. The reason is that the solution on the surface having the high alcohol concentration is changed into the mist. When the mist is coagulated and collected, accordingly, the alcohol solution having a high concentration is separated. By this method, it is possible to separate the alcohol solution having a high concentration without heating the solution. Therefore, it is possible to separate an alcohol substance having a high concentration. Moreover, there is also a feature that the separation can be carried out without the alteration of the alcohol because of no heating.
In the apparatus described above, as compared with a method of vaporizing and separating a liquid as in distillation, energy to be consumed for the separation can be lessened more greatly. The reason is that it is not necessary to apply high vaporization heat to the liquid to be vaporized. The ultrasonic vibration atomizes the liquid into atomized fine particles at a temperature which is equal to or lower than a boiling point. The atomized fine particle has a component content which is different from a liquid which is not atomized. Therefore, it is possible to separate and collect the atomized fine particle from the air, thereby carrying out a separation into a liquid having a different component content.
Referring to the separation to be carried out by the ultrasonic vibration described above, it is not necessary to heat the liquid to be the boiling point or more. Therefore, it is possible to lessen a thermal energy to be consumed. If the temperature of the air at which the liquid is atomized into the atomized fine particle is low, however, an atomization efficiency is reduced. By heating the air to be supplied to the atomizing chamber, it is possible to increase the atomization efficiency. When the temperature of the air is raised, the thermal energy is consumed for the heating. For this reason, it is impossible to efficiently separate the mixed liquid in a small energy consumption.
The present invention has been developed in order to solve the aforementioned conventional drawbacks. An important object of the present invention is to provide a separating method and apparatus capable of reducing an energy consumption to efficiently generate an atomized fine particle, thereby efficiently separating a mixed liquid.